Welcome to TV Recap, in which we look at modern shows and analyze them on an episode-to-episode basis. This one focuses on the cartoon sitcom Bob's Burgers, a very funny show that is capable of rivaling old school Simpsons in terms of irreverent humor and off the wall zaniness. With a cast of modern alternative comedian heroes, the story follows the Belchers as they run a burger joint. Join me as I take part in dissecting the show in its first full season. Check back on Tuesdays for the next exciting installment.
As we play catch-up on Bob's Burgers, I want to remind you that the most recent episode's recap will be available tomorrow. After which point, I will return to my TV recaps on Tuesdays.
It is time once again for the festive Valentine's Day season in which shows take the concept and attempt to make something clever out of it. Of course, it usually revolves around pitching woo and romantic gestures gone wrong. However, what makes Bob's Burgers take on the holiday is kind of ingenious. It takes the characters, have them bond on perverse circumstances, and somehow still come away feeling like they care about each other. Yes, Bob's Burgers knows how to maintain a winning streak with a Valentine's Day episode packed full of romantic gestures inverted into madness.
The episode begins on Valentine's Day as the family is gathered around the table. Bob (Jon Benjamin) is making pancakes for everyone in the shape of hearts. Gene (Eugene Mirman) has one shaped like a mustache. Linda (John Roberts) is in love with the idea and finds Bob to be a romantic individual. Meanwhile, Tina (Dan Mintz) is hiding under the table, scared to go to school on account that Jimmy Jr. gave her a Valentine's last year that said "From," instead of a heart. It traumatizes her to the point that she refuses to go to school. This causes Louise (Kristen Schaal) and Gene to join her under the table. As it begins raining, Bob insists on taking them to school.
During the drive, the kids reveal that Bob is lousy at getting Linda gifts. He basically makes her heart shaped pancakes every year. Only children are allowed to get away with making homemade gifts. This sends Bob into a tizzy and instead of dropping them off at school, he has them help him pick out a gift. They stop by a ceramics store, which the kids insist that mom likes. However, it is crucial to pick the right one, or things can go further downhill.
Meanwhile, Linda has decided to do speed dating... Bob's Burgers style! She invites all of the patrons to join in as she moderates the event. However, as she is starting to find her groove, police officer Sergeant Bosco (Gary Cole) comes in and decides to take control. He forces them to tell their darkest secrets to each other, which results in a fascinating case of people being disgusted by each other while also being equally fascinated. This of course bothers Linda.
Meanwhile, Bob and the kids are at the ceramics store and Bob regales them with a story about their first date. It goes a little rough, causes Gene to suggest that Maya Angelou could have done it better. The story goes that their car broke down and they went to a bar called Sippy's for drinks. As the night went on, they played the love tester machine, which resulted in them being considered Red Hot. That is when he knew that their love was pure.
They decide to go to the bar and as they do, Hugo (Sam Seder) makes himself known. He is inspecting various bars and restaurants that day. He claims that it is at one of them, but he doesn't want to share. So the Belchers stalk his car until they lose him at a red light. As they look around for him, they find his coworker Ron (Ron Lynch), who gives him a copy of the locations that they plan to visit that day. This leads the Belchers to explore each and every location quickly.
When they reach Chinatown, they go into the Drink Dynasty Lounge, where they discover that the love tester is. As Bob discusses with the owner about buying it, Hugo makes himself known. He apparently has bought it for $100 just to spite Bob. Suddenly, Bob is in a bind, and the only way to get it back was to pay Hugo $500. There is a nearby ATM machine, and Bob has no choice. However, when he does, he discovers that the initials BB+BB are carved into the side. It sends him into a tizzy to realize that the date was not with Linda, but with a previous girlfriend. Hugo won't buy it back, so he is stuck with it.
Meanwhile, Linda is getting fed up with Bosco taking control. She decides to take his gun and wave it around aimlessly. This results in an attempt to arrest her. However, when Bosco gets a call for somewhere else, he immediately leaves and lets her go. It turns out that Louise had faked it from behind the counter. Also, Bob told the story of how they got the love tester, and even though it wasn't initially hers, she still finds it romantic and accepts the gift. Jimmy Jr. also stops by to give Tina a valentine's, which has a heart as opposed to a "From." She feels gratified.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
I have to admit that when I first heard about the love machine plot, I assumed it was going to be very much like the Simpsons segment "the Love-Matic Grandpa." I don't know how, but I felt like it would somehow just become this machine communicating to them in a very bizarre way. Of course, the reality of Bob's Burgers doesn't allow for this to just happen, especially with two very solid stories going this week that really deserved more attention than a dumb the Simpsons comparison.
Still, I felt like Linda was the odd hero of the episode. Sure, she was pretty much ignored for most of the recap, but her trying to get a speed dating program started was insanely fun to watch it escalate simply because Bosco knew how to work a crowd. I always feel like Linda cannot control the system no matter how hard she tries. At least this time, it was handled with an odd sense of clarity. Also, nice to see Teddy (Larry Murphy) getting some love with Gina (Lindsey Stoddart), so at least the Valentine's Day concept didn't result in a total waste of no love.
Again, I love the show because it is able to show characters bonding in insightful ways. True, Bob doesn't drop them off at school, which may be seen as irresponsible, but he still uses them for his advantage. They bond over trying to please Linda, and while they mock his terrible story telling skills, there's still this sense that they are dedicated to each other and need to cooperate to get things done.
I feel a little weird about Hugo in this episode. If you remember back to "Nude Beach," there was this small sense that they could respect each other. However, the whole love tester argument established at the end of the episode really didn't fit that dynamic. True, they don't like each other, but it still felt a little bizarre for Hugo to want Bob to pay $500. Of course, the show is very picky with its continuity, and even then, there isn't that much that is significant to character growth on the show.
However, I did enjoy the premise, as overdone as it has been in most other circumstances. The trek to get the perfect gift is a familiar tale, and one that Bob's Burgers doesn't do too much new stuff with. However, the kids haven't been this sharp in forever. The small asides that Gene makes during the stories are hilarious, including the easily overlooked "Where's Maya Angelou when you need him?" There is a small genius to the way that the show manages to fit jokes into the cracks of these sentimental moments without tampering with the tone. At very least, I feel like this show understands how to hold conversation with the characters now.
This is a great episode because it continues to show the Belchers bonding in weird ways while skewering familiar tropes into exciting, new territories. I also have to admit that I totally sympathize with Tina not wanting to go to school over the simple fact that her card says "From." It isn't life changing, but a small signification of love, and for Tina, that is all that matters. I also love that she gets her moment of redemption at the end. This really is a solid Valentine's Day episode because you really get the impression that the show loves to make you smile.
Comments
Post a Comment